Diana Newton provides a survey of the religious changes arising from the challenges to the Catholic Church in the sixteenth century. The book examines the political and social impact of religious change on England, Scotland and Ireland from the mid sixteenth century to the beginning of the eighteenth century. An account is given of the fate of Catholics living in a Protestant country and there is an assessment of state attitudes towards Protestant non–conformists. While concentrating on Britain, the book explores how religion and religious controversy influenced relations with the continent throughout the period. Papists, Protestants and Puritans contains a selection of primary sources.